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Topic: Walmarts (Read 16052 times)

There are a lot of establishments that have followed Walmart and now allow overnight parking. Cabela's, Cracker Barrel, Bass Stores, Home Depot, Lowes, also Flying J, Pilots, Loves, and Elks. Why is Walmart the lightning rod? I never read anything negative about staying at any of the others.

I especially like Cracker Barrel. There is nothing like waking up in the morning to a Cracker Barrel pecan pancake breakfast!

Walmart is for those, "I forgot the ..." moments. I've been known to make several trips inside before I leave. Towels, trash bags, sun block, bug spray, coffee, etc. Walmart has it all, and half the price of what a CG will charge.

We recently got turned down trying to stay at a Walmarts in Port Charlotte, Fl. We have stayed at Walmarts on our trip out west and back and from Maine to Florida. This was the first time we got turned down and it had the biggest parking lot of all the Walmarts we've stayed at. I asked if we could stay a couple of hours to take a break and the CSR said OK. We went and visited a cousin of mine and when we got back there was a class C parked there. So this time my DW went in and asked and this time three CSR's said no problem. The police would not hassle campers. We spent a quiet and restful night. Next morning we went in and bought needed groceries and continued on our trip.

Can't believe I'm going to again post about Walmart parking... But I'm going to! For the past 9yrs, we have regularly (jeez, maybe 20 times) headed into a Walmart, east coast from NY down to SC when desired. Never had an issue like being asked to leave or even questioned. Always purchase in the store, never asked permission, however never treated it like a camp ground (have seen plenty doing that... yuk). Last time was at Morgantown WV, heck, it actually seemed like they designed the lot for RV's to park on the perimeter of the lot! We always look for a spot that puts the slide out over a edge area where it's not out in the actual parking lot, I'm just not comfortable hanging the slide out in the middle of someones parking lot. All I can say is... Thank you Walmart! They don't have to be this liberal with their space but they surely are (where allowed by ordinance). We also have when necessary had our inverter generator running in the bed of our truck (have service line run to the 5ver) and have never had any issue with that either. I would note that it's a quiet unit, not open or contractor type, not any louder than a MH generator and sometimes quieter.....

For more info on parking at Walmarts there is a Yahoo group at : walmartrving@yahoogroups.comwhich has a maintained listing of Walmarts which do and do not allow ONP (overnight parking) and the list owner, Bill Halberstadt, is quick to check out reports of changes to parking status at a store and update the list. I see no problem with staying at a Walmart, depending on the area and size of the lot but have not done it yet. Our local Walmart which is in a very safe area is usually full of semi trucks and semi-trailers on the weekend because the manager allows them to park there and go to their homes in the city without taking the truck home. See a few RVs from time to time. Also, be aware that most Cracker Barrel restaurants welcome overnighters (with permission) and Home Depot lots are another favorite (again, with permission).

We always look for a spot that puts the slide out over a edge area where it's not out in the actual parking lot, I'm just not comfortable hanging the slide out in the middle of someones parking lot. All I can say is... Thank you Walmart! They don't have to be this liberal with their space but they surely are (where allowed by ordinance).